Texas' Jeb Hensarling bows out of post-Boehner leadership race

Updated 11:41 am, Monday, September 28, 2015

Photo: Charles Dharapak, Associated Press

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FILE - In this Jan. 25, 2011, file photo, Rep. Jed Hensarling, R-Texas, is seen on Capitol Hill in Washington, before President Barack Obama's State of the Union address. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak, File)

FILE - In this Jan. 25, 2011, file photo, Rep. Jed Hensarling, R-Texas, is seen on Capitol Hill in Washington, before President Barack Obama's State of the Union address. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak, File)

Photo: Charles Dharapak, Associated Press

Texas' Jeb Hensarling bows out of post-Boehner leadership race

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WASHINGTON – Texas Republican Jeb Hensarling, the Lone Star State's leading contender for a top leadership position in the U.S. House, bowed out of the GOP scrum Monday as Republicans scramble to replace retiring House Speaker John Boehner.

The Dallas Republican's decision was announced by congressional spokeswoman Sarah Rozier. "After prayerful consideration, Chairman Hensarling is not a candidate for a leadership position," she said, adding that he will support House Budget Committee Chairman Tom Price for Majority Leader.

That position, presumably, will open up as the current Majority Leader, Kevin McCarthy of California, is widely regarded as the front runner to replace Boehner.

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In the wake of Boehner's surprise announcement Friday, Hensarling, chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, was seen as a potential contender for either the top spot or one of two other leadership posts, majority leader or whip.

After meeting with the Texas delegation Friday in the wake of Boehner's announcement, Rozier said Hensarling was "weighing his options," and expected to make a decision this week.

But as McCarthy worked over the weekend to coalesce his support among House Republicans, Hensarling apparently decided to move up his timetable for making a decision.